Airfix 1/72 Spitfire Mk IXc Construction
Above and below: Fuselage halves taped together to check the fit of the photo etched frames.
Above: Basic fuselage construction completed.
Below: Photo etched parts embellished with plastic where necessary. Shown are the landing gear / flap control, compass, throttle, seat frame, instrument panel, seat, and heelboards with rudder pedals.
Above left: Completed seat with armour plate and frame from etched brass. Adjusting lever and frame cross members are .015” plastic rod. Note the adjustment ratchet from a quarter section of a watch gear. Above right: Front view of seat showing the cushion made from Mr. Dissolved Putty.
Completed right fuselage half.
Completed left fuselage half. Much of this detail was invisible on the completed model but the fun was more in the creating than the final effect!
Both fuselage halves ready for assembly. Constant test fitting during the build ensured there were no unpleasant surprises at this stage.
Vac formed cockpit bottom detailed with plastic strip, rod and copper wire.
The vac formed part wouldn’t fit over the forward photo etched frame so the moulding was cut into two and glued on either side of the frame.
.020” sheet was clamped around a brass tube and immersed in near boiling water for a few seconds to set the shape of the wheel well sides. The formed plastic was much easier to glue to the wheel wells.
Above left: Wheel well sidewalls held in place while the liquid poly cement works its magic. Note the triangular braces on the finished port wheel well to stop the sidewalls breaking off when they are sanded to fit the upper wing half. Above right: Wheel wells finished and wing halves assembled. Ribs are from .005” strip and sidewalls blended in with Mr. Surfacer.
Ready for paint. The superb turned brass cannons from Master were a vast improvement on the kit items.
The cast resin radiators in place. Note the blanking plates over the outer cannon shell ejection chutes, these were made from .005” sheet and sanded down until they almost disappeared. Also note how the cockpit bottom shows clearly through the thinned wing centre section.
Left: Strips of .005” sheet were glued to the inside of the rear canopy sill to make fitting the thin vac form canopy easier.
Masking for the camouflage with blue tack. Cling film is used to seal the areas that are to remain grey.
Painted and decalled, ready for the final details.
Above left: Modified Academy Mk.XIV landing gear legs. Note the extensions from tubing, brass rod locating pins and etched uplock rings. Above right: Quickboost and Airfix spinners. The grossly oversized panel lines on the resin item ruined an otherwise excellent casting.
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